With all the craziness and uncertainty going on right now, our main concern is that everybody is staying safe, healthy, and indoors! Being stuck inside can get old pretty quick, so we’ve found some fun online experiences to help you mix it up. Whether it be a virtual experience from some of our favorite local places like Antonelli’s Cheese, or national institutions like the Metropolitan Opera house, there are definitely some options for you to switch up your quarantine routine and engage virtually!
Facebook Live Cheese Tasting with Antonelli’s
Eating cheese in your pajamas—yes, dreams really do come true! Join John & Kendall on Facebook Live as they guide you through an amazing Cheese Tasting. Pick up your cheese plate from 12-4 p.m. the day of the class at their Cheese House (500 Park Blvd). Simply park outside, dial 512-333-2344 and they’ll run it out to your car for curbside delivery. Expect the tasting to be about 45 minutes, followed by a 15 min Q&A. Of course, if you have questions throughout the tasting, type them in and John & Kendall will answer them! Choose from the following classes:
- June 10th, 6 – 7 p.m., Cheese Myths Busted
- June 17th, 6 – 7 p.m., Cheese and Soda Pairing with Maine Root
- June 24th, 6 – 7 p.m., Flavored Cheeses
Register Here.
Mystery Night In
Mystery Night In is a surprise evening from the comfort of home. The best part? Each Night In supports small businesses affected by COVID-19. Included in every Mystery Box will be dinner for two, an interactive activity, and fun and local goods! The Classic Box is $150 with the option to add a bottle of wine for an additional $25. Add the element of surprise to your date night in! Learn more here.
Virtual Dating in Austin
The perfect opportunity to find a virtual companion! All the fun and efficiency of in-person speed dating events brought to your doorstep. Why wait to hear back from potential matches on traditional apps and websites when you can meet a group of singles just like yourself, all from the comfort of your living room. A lovely host to guide you through your virtual event, there to assist you with anything or anyone.
Date and Time: June 11th, 8 – 10 p.m.
Price: $19 – $22
Tickets and Details: Here
Online Workshops at The Cathedral
The Cathedral hosts a variety of events that are open to the Austin community – check out what’s coming up and join us in supporting Austin’s thriving creative and entrepreneurial community. The Cathedral events go to support local artists, creators, and organizations with a focus on equality and human rights. Choose from the list below of June workshops-
- June 20th – Sand & Stain Your Own Charcuterie Board
- June 20th – Mixed Media Collage Workshop
- June 21st – Make a Watercolor Painting
- June 23rd – How to Figure Out the Next Step in Your Relationships and Career
- June 27th – Mixed Media Collage Workshop
- June 27th – Make a Watercolor Painting
- June 28th – Make a Mixed Media Portrait
Register Here.
Suerte Taco Night
Suerte has a taco meal kit so you can make and enjoy your brisket tacos from the comfort of your own home! For $60 you’ll get everything you need to recreate the tacos of your dreams. Kit includes: confit brisket, avocado crudo, black magic oil, tortillas, and sides of fideo seco, charro beans and mixed green salad. Order here!
Virtual Job Fair
Open the doors of opportunity when you meet and interview with the top hiring companies in Austin. This career fair will allow you to learn about the businesses that are hiring and what their hiring needs are. Tired of sending your resume over the web to get no responses back? Put a face with a name and make a great first impression.
Date and Time: July 14th, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Price: FREE
Tickets and Details: Here
Learn to Code Workshop
Have an interest in learning to code, but don’t know where to start? This workshop is crafted for total beginners looking for an entry to the wonderful world of coding! For this two-hour workshop, Austin Coding Academy help you with your first-ever coding project from start to finish. During the workshop, you’ll cover basics of HTML, CSS, and how web development works in a broad sense.
Date and Time: June 11th, 18th, or 25th, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Price: FREE
Tickets and Details: Here
Sip Wine & Learn the Basics of Floral Design with The Flower Social
The Flower Social encourages fun and curiosity so you can explore your creativity and play with flowers in a social environment. Grab your favorite wine and join the party! Select which live virtual workshop you’d like to participate in from this list and get ready to explore your creativity!
Virtual Wine Tastings
The Wine Foundry & Anarchist Wine Co.
Hand pick 4 different wines from The Wine Foundry or Anarchist Wine Co. and then schedule a 45 minute tasting with Stuart Ake, a wine educator with a down-to-earth style and deep wine knowledge. To purchase wine and schedule a tasting, email events@thewinefoundry.com.
Far Niente
Far Niente, in Napa Valley’s Oakville, is now offering virtual, one-on-one private tastings with a host from the property. Go to the Virtual Tastings link or contact Kelly Denny at 707-302-3627 or send an email to Denny at kdenny@nickelandnickel.com to select your wines, and they’ll be shipped free of charge directly to your home within 2-3 days. Then you’ll schedule a Zoom meeting with your host and settle in for a conversation about the wines you’re tasting.
Kuhlman Cellars
Join Kuhlman Cellars, located in Texas, for a live home tasting webinar via social media where you’ll interactively discuss tasting techniques. Relax at home with your own glass as you talk through wine tasting and evaluation. Upon purchase of the bundle, they will send you a link to their webinar schedule. Pick the time best for you and join them for a fun online interactive tasting. This bundle includes our gold-medal-winning 2018 Estate White, 2018 Hensell and Best-Seller, 2016 Alluvé with a small jar of Kuhlman Herbed Almonds.
William Chris Vineyards
Want to experience Texas Winery, William Chris Vineyards from home? Check out their Virtual Tasting 4-packs in the Shop and join them on Facebook, Saturdays @ 4pm CDT for a LIVE tasting with the founders! These virtual tastings will run from now until their tasting rooms reopen.
Quarantine Craft Pack with Stampworthy Goods
Choose from two craft kits- Mud Cloth Gallery Wall (pictured) or a Bench Upholstery Kit. Craft on your own time and a video instruction will be sent over to you so you can crafternoon on your own! Read about the craft packs here.
Free Virtual Improv Class with The Hideout
Come check out a 30-minute FREE sample to get a feel for how easy and engaging improv is. They’ll give you a low-pressure taste of the games, exercises and basic philosophies that you’ll experience in any of their normal classes. Just Sign Up for your preferred Free Class session and show up ready to have your mind blown. They’ll send you an email with a link to the Zoom meeting and details on how to set up your computer for the best experience. View all their virtual classes like Game Night and Drag King Comedy here.
Interactive Cooking with Assembly Kitchen & Comedor
They deliver your favorite dishes from Comedor, prepared and ready to cook, along with instructional cooking videos and direct access to their chefs for questions. Order before 3pm for same-day delivery and after 3pm for the following day. Deliveries from 5-7pm daily! View the menu here.
Cozymeal Online Cooking Classes
Bring a professional chef into your personal kitchen. Cozymeal’s highly-rated culinary experiences are now virtual. From handmade pasta to authentic paella, create impressive dishes in the comfort of your home with the help of an expert chef. Browse the menu and class times here.
The Escape Game: Escape from Iron Gate
This is “virtual” in the old school sense. Based on The Escape Games’ hit “Prison Break” game, this immersive board game will make you feel like a kid again. This brings you the excitement of The Escape Game in a box style strategy game. There’s only one path to freedom here and it’s a prison break.
The Escape Game is also now offering a digital version of one of their escape experiences, TEG Unlocked: The Heist – Vol. 1: Chasing Hahn. The game is designed for 1-4 players.
Intero Online Cooking Classes
Intero chefs will provide cooking lessons via Skype. Participants can pick up ingredients from Intero or purchase ingredients from the grocery store using a list Intero provides. Bookings are based on availability, please contact Intero at 512-599-4052 or email them at info@interorestaurant.com to schedule.
Houston Zoo Live Webcams
Tune in to the Houston Zoo Webcams and enjoy a live look at the animals who call the Houston Zoo home! See the herd of Asian elephants wander through their enormous habitat. Watch as giraffes nibble on lettuce, and see the rhinos roll in their mud puddle or the flamingos float next to a waterfall. Live cams run from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.!
Watch Here.
National Parks Video Tours with Google Arts and Culture
Virtually explore the great outdoors and experience the wonders of five national parks. Choose from Kenai Fjords, Hawai’i Volcanoes, Carlsbad Caverns, Bryce Canyon and Dry Tortuga.
Start Exploring Here.
Nightly Met Opera Streams
The Met hopes to brighten the lives of their audience members even while their stage is dark. Every day for the duration of the Met’s closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, a different encore presentation from the company’s Live in HD series will be made available for free streaming on the Met website, with each performance available for a period of 20 hours, from 7:30 p.m. EDT until 3:30 p.m. the following day.
Start Streaming Here.
Aware of other virtual experiences not on our list? Email emily@365thingsaustin.com any additions you’d like to share!
